1. Technical Field
Embodiments of this disclosure relate to a structure of recovering the performance of a droplet discharge head of an inkjet recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses are used as printers, facsimile machines, copiers, or multifunction peripherals having, e.g., two or more of the foregoing capabilities. For example, an inkjet recording apparatus employing a droplet discharge head (also referred to as recording head) is known as an image forming apparatus of a liquid-discharge recording system. The inkjet recording apparatus causes droplets to adhere to a recording medium (hereinafter also referred to as sheet representing a target onto which droplets adhere and used as synonyms with recording sheet, transfer material, and so on) to form (record, or print) images, such as letters or patterns, on the recording medium while conveying the recording material.
Image forming apparatuses are used as printers, facsimile machines, copiers, or multifunction peripherals having, e.g., two or more of the foregoing capabilities. For example, an inkjet recording apparatus employing a droplet discharge head (also referred to as recording head) is known as an image forming apparatus of a liquid-discharge recording system. The inkjet recording apparatus causes droplets to adhere to a recording medium (hereinafter also referred to as sheet representing a target onto which droplets adhere and used as synonyms with recording sheet, transfer material, and so on) to form (record, or print) images, such as letters or patterns, on the recording medium while conveying the recording material.
In such an image forming apparatus of a droplet discharge system, a recording head includes multiple droplet discharge nozzles to discharge ink droplets (hereinafter referred to as droplets), and discharges ink pressurized in a pressure generation chamber, from the nozzles toward a sheet to form an image on the sheet. Accordingly, an increase in viscosity of ink due to evaporation of solvent from nozzles, solidification of ink, adhesion of dust, or introduction of bubbles may cause a discharge failure state and a recording failure. Hence, to secure stable droplet discharge performance, such an image forming apparatus generally includes a maintenance and recovery device (maintenance device) to remove droplets from a nozzle formation face (nozzle face) of the recording head.